All-Natural Homemade Cleaner

February 24, 2018

DIY Chemical Free Multipurpose Cleaner

After our cat got an allergy that made her lower lip blow up 3x times it’s size (visualize a kitty Kardashian), we started exploring more chemical free options for the soaps and cleaners we use around the house. One of my favorites is not only chemical free, but also reuses citrus peels! Double whammy. Because of the acidity in vinegar and citrus, microorganisms like bacteria and mold cant grow (that’s why it’s used as a preservative i.e. pickling!). It’s also great for cutting through grease, soap scum, and stains. It’s the miracle cleaner, I’m telling you.

This is the easiest DIY on the planet, I promise. Here’s how you can make it:

Ingredients:

2 cups citrus peels unpacked – as much pith removed as possible

2 cups of distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)

2 cups of water

Sealable container

Spray bottle

1. Save your citrus peels (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, etc.) – since we don’t go through them very quickly, I’ve taken to freezing them in a jar until we have about 2 cups worth.

2. Once you’ve saved enough peels, put them in a sealable jar or container and cover completely with distilled white vinegar. If you’re feeling fancy, you can add herbs like rosemary or mint or whatever you might have available that could pair well with the citrus.

3. Seal your container and leave it somewhere out of the way like under the sink or on top of the fridge. Temperature and light don’t play big factors here. Now leave it to infuse for about 2 weeks.

4. After 2 weeks, open your jar and pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a spray bottle. I used a refillable Force of Nature spray bottle but a glass one would have been better to avoid plastic. You should have about 2 cups of bright yellow cleaning concentrate in your spray bottle. Cut with 2 cups of water to dilute the concentrate, and now you’re ready to start cleaning!

If it still smells too strongly of vinegar, let it sit for another few days until it’s to your liking. The longer it sits, the more it concentrates.